President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has summoned a special meeting on the Niger Delta to discuss the terms of the amnesty offered to militants as well as unfold his agenda for security and development in the oil-producing region.
A top presidential source confirmed this yesterday, disclosing that those expected to be in attendance are Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark, Speaker Dimeji Bankole, governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Rivers States, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Shettima Mustapha, and Minister of Interior, Brig-Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd), who is also the Chairman of the Amnesty Committee.
The source said: “President Yar’Adua considers Niger Delta as central to his power agenda and is committed to resolving the matter.”
Yar’Adua had hinted on Tuesday that the government was working on the amnesty terms which would soon be made public.
While expressing his delight at the widely reported decision of the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr. Ateke Tom, to accept the amnesty offer by the Federal Government, he had said he was hopeful of an end to the drawn-out crisis.
Yar’Adua had told State House correspondents on Tuesday: “I am highly delighted by this news that one of the militant leaders is prepared to accept the granting of amnesty by government. In fact, I would hope that all militant leaders will do the same.”
He said: “We are not fighting; we are all Nigerians and what we are trying to do is to guarantee peace and security in the Niger Delta just like in any other part of Nigeria so that people can live, work, carry on their normal duties without fear within the region so that the region and the state can realize the great potentials for attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs) and boosting economic activities.
“Let me say that I am expecting that in the next few days, certainly within this week, for the committee on amnesty to complete all arrangements. I will personally make public all the conditions, procedures and mechanisms for the amnesty. The amnesty centre that will be established, the procedures for granting the amnesty, documentation, camping, training, rehabilitation, getting jobs for those who require education, sending them to school, all the terms will be made public.
“I will welcome any leader, in fact, I might make bold to say that it will be a great pleasure for me to personally accept the first militant leader who takes advantage of this amnesty to encourage others to do so, so that they can have confidence that we are sincere, honest in granting of this amnesty. We have no other interests than the interests of Nigerians to live in peace and all those Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike who live within the Niger Delta states to live in peace and pursue their activities without fear.”
“So, I welcome any leader and all its members who are ready to accept the granting of amnesty by government and I assure them that within the week, latest early next week, the terms will be made public,” Yar’Adua added.
But in an interview with THISDAY Tuesday, Tom listed the conditions under which he would surrender, chief of which was the disbandment of the Joint Task Force (JTF), the military body responsible for the security of the oil-producing region.
He had insisted that the amnesty offer would not be trusted unless soldiers were withdrawn from the creeks to pave the way for surrender. If the JTF was withdrawn and attacks on Niger Delta settlements halted, he said he would then have things to talk over with the Federal Government on the terms of the amnesty since according to him, a lot is involved in it.
Jun182009